Steam and water trap



Sept. 24, 1940- M. E. BRuNDl-:RMAN 2,215,998A

STEAM AD' WATER TRAP Filed April 14, 115339 ...nnllllwIl my? w' ,Q5 Mmfg A www.

'Patented sept. 24, 1940 STEAM AND WATER. TRAP Martin E. Brunderman,Chicago, Ill.

Application April 14, 1939, Serial No. 267,771

5 Claims.

vThis invention relates to improvements in steam and water traps of thetype adapted for attachment to air relief valves of steam radiators. 'Ihe escape of steam from the usual form of air 5 relief valves for steamradiators has been a cause of great annoyance. The rising currents ofair mingled With steam and moisture resulting therefrom, has rapidlydisfigured the decoration of walls adjacent the radiator. Also, it iscommon for the steam to force some water out through air'valve which ina relatively short time forms puddles of water on the floor adjacentthat radiator. Also, the steam so emitted has been found to condense andsettle-on the furniture in the room Where the radiator is located,thereby causing damage thereto.

The `primary object of this invention is to remedy and overcome theseinherent defects by providing an apparatus to trap the escaping steamand collect the resultant condensate.

Other objects of this invention are tol provide a device of thischaracter which will seat on and envelop an air relief valvevforradiators; to provide in a device of this character, a condensatedensing the steam and thence directing it to a storage chamber; toprovide a device of this character wherein the water so collected may beutilized by slowly humidifying the .atmosphere through forcedevaporation and discharge from the trap; to provide means for positivelocking `of the device directly to the relief valve; to provide meansfor insuring a tight flt of the device to the valve; to provide anindicating apparatus on the device to measure the water collected in thestorage chamber; and to provide a device of this character which issimple in construction and operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical middle cross-sectional view on line I-I of Fig. 2through my improved steam trap shown with and attached to an air fstorage chamber; to provide a baille plate for conshellor container I,preferably of cast or forged metal, having integrally formed side andend walls 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively; a metallic cylindrical shell 6disposed centrally withinv the container I and integrally secured to theside wall 3 5 by Yany suitable means, such as by spot-welding or thelike or it may be autogenously integral therewith; a cap 'I having arestricted opening 8 of sufficient diameter to permit the upper endr 9of an air relief valve I 0 to be inserted therein, '1'0 which cap may beintegral withlpart 6; a removable cover plate or cap I I havingdownwardly-extending flanges I2, the outer faces of which abut againstthe adjacent inner faces of the side and end vwalls 2, 3, 4 and 5 toprovide for snuglyseat- '1'5 ing thev cover plate II on the container I;and a water level indicating means I3` comprising a float I4 and a gagerod I5.

The container I has a vertical slot I6 extending vfrom the' bottom I 'IYupwardly*y to a point just `2`0 above the center of the container. Thisslot extends. through the wall and is of sufficient width to accommodatethe stem I9 of the air relief valve The upper portion of cover plate IIis arched '525 lengthwise at 20, the .highest point of which is directlyover the upper end 9 of valve I il. -This plate, serves to deilect thesteam and water .ejected from valve IIJ, into the-container chambers 2land 22 mutually connected at crevice I. r() The cover plate I is alsoprovided at each end -with a group cf apertures 23 through whichmoisture of evaporation from the water in chambers 2I and 22, may escapeinto the atmosphere; and therefore the device as a Whole may be alsocalled z a humidifier. A slot 24 is also formed in the cover II kthroughwhich the indicating rod I5 is inserted so that any movement of the rodI will be in a vertical plane.

The`cap 'I is formed with a downwardly pro- "40 jecting portion or aflange-like member 25 which .is arranged to snugly seat in the upper endofthe cylindrical shell 6. lIt is to be understood, however, that thiscap 'I may be formed integrally with or be a part of the shell 6. It isimportant that the lcap 'I be so seated in the shell' 6 that the samewill not readily become disengaged therewith, as the innery face of thecap I forms a bearing seat vwhich rests on the upper end 2B of the airrelief valve I0. Thus it will be apparent that the entire weight of thecontainer I is borne by this cap 1 and hence it is important that thesame be secured to the shell 6 in such a manner that it will not bereadily displaced.

In order to insure rm steadiness of the en- 'tercommunicating chambers2| tire unit and to preclude rocking or vibration, a pair of cup-shapedWashers 21 and 28 of a diameter substantially the same as the innerdiameter of the shell 6 are set in said shell directly below the reliefvalve I0, so that the upper face of Washer 21 bears against the lowerend 29 of said valve I0 and the lower face of Washer 28 bears againstthe rod 30, the purpose of Which rod will hereinafter be described. Ahelical compression spring 3| is placed between the Washers 21 and, 28vto keep Vthem spread apart and to provide for solidity of the device asa whole by holding the trap snugly down on the valve I0.

The bottom I1 of the container I is substantially thicker than the sideand end Walls thereof. 'A medial transverse reception slot 32 is drilledthrough the Wall '5 and substantially entirely through the bottom |1 inthe manner shown in Fig. 2 and is tapped adjacent the open end of theslot as at 32. rod 3B, which is provided with threads 33 at the Yheadedone end thereof. It Will now be apparent that this rod being threaded,as shown, prevents pilferage of the device Without iirst removing therod and therefore acts as a semi anti-theft device as well asI a bearingfor the Washer 28. In assembling the device on a radiator, the rod 3|),spring 3! and Washers 21 and 28 are rst removed. The device is thenplaced over the air relief valve |0 and guided into position by means.of the slot I6 in Wall 3. The Washer 21 and the Washer 28 and thespring 3| are then replaced and the rod 30 threaded in the slot 32; The

device is now ready for use.

In operation, When steam and Water are ejected from the air releif valvethrough the upper end 9 thereof, they Will strike the arch 2li of thecover plate II and be deflected into the inand 22. steam Will, underordinary circumstances, condense into Water when it strikes the dome 20and Will fall into the chambers 2| and 22. The device is so constructedand arranged thatthe drippings Will only collect in the chambers 2| and22.

The float I4 of the indicating means I3 Will `rise With the level of theWater in the chambersl as it increases; and by ready observation it Willbe seen when the container I is iilled With Water and needs attention.

Because the container Will absorb part of the heat emanating from theradiator 34, the container Will become Warm and under ordinarycircumstances the heat absorbed by the Water in the container issuicient to cause the Water to evaporate and escape into the atmospherethrough the apertures 23 in the cover plate Il,

Atherebyappreciably humidifying the room.

For humidication purposes, if the steam and Water emitted from the valveI l) is insufficient to automatically partially fill the container I,the container may be partially lled with Water from outside sources atany time as by merely removing the cover plate and manually pouring inWater.

It is to be understood that even though the This is to receive thesaid'A The device described herein is preferably constructed of metal,it may be constructed of any suitable material which is durable, such asBakelite, or like material.

It is to be understood that some of the details set forth may be alteredor omitted Without departing from the spirit of the invention as denedby the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combinationof an airreliefvalv'ey for steam radiators, and a steam and water trap thereforcomprising a body having an arcuate cover therefor, a cylindrical shelldisposed substantially centrally in said body, said body and shellhaving a mutual longitudinal slot therein to receive the stem of saidvalve, and means on said shell for seating said body on said valve.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of an air reliefvalve for steam radiators, and a steam and Water trap thereforcomprising a body having an arcuate topped cover therefor, a cylindricalshell disposed substantially centrally in said body, said body and shellhaving a mutual longitudinal slot therein to receive the stem of saidvalve, and resilient means to positively secure said body to said valve.

3. In combination with an air relief valve for steam radiators, acombined humidifier and steam and Water trap comprising a storagechamber,

a centrally disposed cylindrical shell in said chamberhaving a seat,said shell being formed and arranged to receive and envelop said valve,said shell and chamber having a mutual longitudinal slot in their sideWalls .adapted to receive the stem of said valve; and means for securingsaid chamber to said valve.

4. In combination with an air relief valve for steam radiators, acombined humidifier and steam and Water trap comprising a storagechamber including a cap therefor of arch-like design, acentrally-disposed Cylindrical shell in said chamber having a seat, saidshell being `formed and arranged to receive and envelop said valve, saidshell and chamber having a mutual longitudinal slot in their side Wallsadapted to receive the stem of said Valve; and resilient means forsecuring said trap to said valve.

5. A radiator attachment comprising a shell of oblong plan formed with acentral hollow core open at the bottom to receive bodily the reliefvalve of a household type of radiator, said core on one side beingintegral with a side Wall of said shell Where a slot extends upward fromthe bottom to admit the stem of the valve, the top `vvall of saidcorebeing centrally perforated to admit the exhaust head of the valve, therebeing open space above said core communicating Vwith the spaces at thesides respectively of said core, the top of said shell being perforatedfor the escape of steam and the top of said core about its perforationserving as a bearing for resting said attachment on the top part of theradiator valve.

l MARTIN E. BRUNDERMAN.

